


broken glasses

by razzledazzle27



Series: kidge prompts that are supposed to be short [8]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Fluff and Angst, jk lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-13 07:42:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16888431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/razzledazzle27/pseuds/razzledazzle27
Summary: “Why? We were never that close. I...I kind of always thought you hated me. You were always so distant...you have no idea how happy it made me whenever you smiled at me or took my side.”“Hate you? No, no, quite the opposite actually…”





	1. Our Katie

**Author's Note:**

> LMFAO I CRIED WHILE WRITING THIS
> 
> Prompt: broken glasses

Keith punched the wall, letting even more tears fall. Footsteps rounded the corner, and Lance was there, staring the listless Keith and the fireplace. The fire was roaring like it had been fed something it didn’t agree with. Keith’s blade wasn’t with him. “Keith--” Lance started, walking over to his friend cautiously. “I had to do it. They let them kill her.” 

 

Lance faltered, inhaling sharply. The Red Paladin stepped forward and rested his hand on Keith’s shoulder. The Black Paladin tensed, but Lance paid him no heed. “It’ll get better,” he said, “I promise.” 

 

Keith nodded, afraid that if he spoke he’d break down. Both boys remembered the night disdainfully. A Blade had been standing  _ right there.  _ But they had let the Galran soldier steal their blade and...and take her from them. Later on, when the tears had finally halted, Keith confronted the Blades quite angrily if he was being honest, but he didn’t get so much as an apology. 

 

_ “War takes no prisoners,”  _ they had simply said, causing another emotional meltdown to occur. Keith had screamed and sobbed right there on the bridge. The other grief-stricken paladins had tried everything they could think of to cease Keith’s cries, but he couldn’t stop. No amount of tears could bring her back. 

 

Both Lance and Keith resented the Marmora, along with the rest of Team Voltron, but at least Lance and the others could work with them. Keith couldn’t stand to look at Kolivan.

 

Lance looked like he remembered something just then and slapped his forehead. “It almost slipped my mind, here….” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of cracked glasses. “I found them in the hallway. Someone must’ve stepped on them during the raid.” Keith took the glasses with shaking hands.

 

Pidge’s prized glasses.

 

The ones that Lance had teased her for, saying she looked like Harry Potter. She had taken the insult with pride.

 

The ones that Hunk had always made her take off when they were working or when the paladins were on a mission, for fear she would crack them. She’d always felt touched by his worry. 

 

The ones that Shiro had liked to smile at, saying she reminded him of her brother. She’d been very proud of them. She loved those glasses.

 

Keith saw a drop fall on the broken lenses. Lance’s hug raised his awareness. Keith heard himself take a breathless gulp.

 

He was crying. He was crying because she loved them; they reminded her of Matt. How would her brother react? How could he explain? Keith was crying because of Matt's blissful unknowing. At least, that’s what he told himself.

 

“Lance?” The Red Paladin awkwardly stepped away, wiping at his eyes. “Yeah…?” Keith sank to the floor, staring at the glasses.

 

“How are we gonna tell Matt?”

 

~

 

It was the worst day of Keith’s life when Matt arrived at the Garrison. “Hey, guys, what’s going on?” No one responded. Every face was solemn. Coran, Hunk, and Romelle were already crying softly. Shiro wasn’t meeting Matt’s eyes. Lance’s grip on Allura’s hand looked tight. The princess herself was breathing heavily next to Keith. Sam and Coleen Holt were in another room, the MFEs trying their best to explain what had happened to their Katie.

 

“ _ Our Katie,”  _ a thought sounded throughout Keith’s head. He gritted his teeth. 

 

“...Guys?” Keith clenched his fist. Matt began to look around, panic becoming more and more evident in his eyes.

 

“ Where’s Pidge? ” 

 

That did it. Keith exploded.

 

“She’s gone!” 

 

All heads whirled around to look at Keith. He wiped furiously at his face. “...She’s gone. I...I couldn’t protect her.” Matt stared at him, either not understanding or denying. “What? What does that mean…? Wh--Shiro?” Sure enough, Shiro’s hand was on Matt’s shoulder. “We have to talk.” The two of them walked away, Shiro’s arm never leaving Matt’s shoulders. Allura questioned Keith immediately. “Protect her?” Instead of answering, Keith marched off as if nothing had happened. 

 

He found himself standing in the threshold of her room. Her stuff was untouched, her laptop open and waiting for her. Keith took her glasses from his pocket. He set them down on her desk and bowed his head. A tear slipped, then another, and they continued to pour until he was wallowing in grief, head buried in his arms, face down on her desk.

 

_ 'Why are you crying?” _

 

Keith heard her voice, but he didn’t dare turn around. She was gone, just a figment of his imagination now. 

 

“Because I miss you.”

 

He felt a coldness come closer, a breeze fluttering against his back.

 

_ “Why? We were never that close. I...I kind of always thought you hated me. You were always so distant,”  _ A wispy chuckle.  _ “You have no idea how happy it made me whenever you smiled at me or took my side.” _

 

Keith bit back a sob. “Hate you? No, no, quite the opposite actually…” The coldness was upon him now; it felt almost like a hug. 

 

_ “Why didn’t you tell me?”  _

 

“Too much of a coward until it was too late.”

 

_ “Well, if I’d known, maybe I wouldn’t have gone and get myself killed.” _

 

A dry sob. “I really, really miss you.”

 

A sad hum.  _ “I do too, more than you know...it’s not your fault, Keith.” _

 

Another heave and he sat up. “Yes, it is.” 

  
The coldness encompassed him. He felt it on both his cheeks. On his forehead. On his lips, just for a long second. Then it slowly drifted away.  _ “Please don’t blame yourself. Please.”  _ Keith tried to grasp it, to feel it once more, but it wasn’t next to him anymore. “...Pidge.” He listened, but no voice answered. “Pidge!” Nothing. “...Katie?” A stroke of a breeze on his cheek.  _ “I'm sorry.” _


	2. What am I? A ghost?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why are you crying?”
> 
> She didn’t think he could hear her, but, surprisingly, he answered. 
> 
> “Because I miss you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahahahahaha you thOUGHT I WAS DONE

It took Pidge 0.2 seconds to realise she was dreaming. Reason 1: Galaxy Garrison did not have a fireplace in any of the lounges. Reason 2: Keith and Lance would never ignore her like she wasn’t there. Nevertheless, she decided to indulge her imagination and continue to dream. She listened to Keith and Lance talk in hushed tones, something about some girl. Pidge was admittedly jealous. Keith seemed way too upset for her liking. She wondered if this girl they were talking about was Acxa. 

 

“I had to do it. They let them kill her.”  _ Oh, shit.  _ Pidge went to comfort Keith, but her hand passed through his shoulder.  _ What the fuck.  _ Lance consoled him instead, which made her bitter.  _ What am I? A ghost?  _ Pidge watched as Lance handed Keith some broken glasses. Wait, those were her broken glasses. Pidge had only just realised she wasn’t wearing them. “I found them in the hallway. Someone must’ve stepped on them during the raid.” _ Someone stepped on her precious glasses?  _ Keith stared at them, then started crying. Actually _ crying.  _ Keith Kogane, master of emos, was crying. Pidge could barely believe it. 

 

Really it was more like, she was too worried to properly comprehend it. What about her glasses made him so upset? Was it the fact that they were broken? That bothered Pidge too, but she wasn’t crying over it. She could only watch as Lance comforted him, which honestly Lance wasn’t very good at. 

 

After a minute, Keith spoke. “Lance?” The Red Paladin awkwardly stepped away, which Pidge rolled her eyes at. “Yeah…?” Pidge watched as Keith sank to the floor, staring at the glasses. “How are we gonna tell Matt?” At that point, she knew. Pidge Holt was dead.

 

~

 

It was funny and sad at the same time. The fact that she knew she wasn’t dead but everyone thought she was amused and upset her. Pidge sat on a perch in a tree, watching her friends attempt to tell her brother that she was dead. Everyone was so quiet, she was tempted to yell out curse words and see if they could hear her. 

 

She experimented. No such luck.

 

Matt was clueless of course, which was frustrating. Then Keith had an unexpected outburst, which was intriguing. Now Pidge stood at a crossroads. Once Matt had walked off with Shiro, Keith fled the scene. Which party should she follow? Pidge wanted to see Matt’s reaction so she could see how much he really cared, but she also needed to make sure Keith was okay. After seconds of hesitation, Pidge decided on the latter and floated off in Keith’s direction. 

 

She found him in her room, head in his arms, crying. Pidge hesitated, then walked up to him. 

 

_ “Why are you crying?” _

 

She didn’t think he could hear her, but, surprisingly, Keith answered. 

 

“Because I miss you.”

 

She inched closer to him, interested yet respectful. He was obviously hurt by her “death”, but she couldn’t help but wonder: 

 

_ “Why? We were never that close. I...I kind of always thought you hated me. You were always so distant,”  _ She chuckled, and it sounded like the wind.  _ “You have no idea how happy it made me whenever you smiled at me or took my side.” _

 

Keith’s shoulder shook. “Hate you? No, no, quite the opposite actually…” No way. There’s no way. No way he likes her back. Even so, she hugged his back, knowing he most likely couldn’t feel her solace. She chose to humour this dream Keith and test his supposed love for her. She couldn’t let herself believe that it was true, that he really did love her.

 

_ “Why didn’t you tell me?”  _

 

“Too much of a coward until it was too late.”

 

She scoffed, but her mind was malfunctioning.  _ “Well, if I’d known, maybe I wouldn’t have gone and get myself killed.” _

 

He heaved another sob, and her heart melted and ached. “I really, really miss you.”

 

She hummed, making an executive ghost decision.  _ “I do too, more than you know...it’s not your fault, Keith.” _

 

Another breath and he sat up. “Yes, it is.” 

 

Keith’s ‘mourning’ yanked at her heartstrings. Pidge moved to his front. His eyes were closed, tears tracing down his cheeks.  _ Well, if he can’t feel me... _ Pidge pressed her lips to his forehead, then to both of his cheeks, and...after a second of hesitation, she kissed him on his lips. Pidge felt a tear of her own slip. She pulled away and figured it’d be best if she woke up now.  _ “Please don’t blame yourself. Please.” _

 

Pidge didn’t know how she’d died, but if Keith thought it was his fault, she had to object. Keith tried to grab her hand, but she stepped back. “...Pidge.”  _ Oh god, don’t. _ “Pidge!”  _ Shit. _ “...Katie?”  _ That’s it.  _ Pidge turned around and kissed his cheek again, softer this time. She knew she shouldn’t have drowned in her feelings in the middle of a war, but when it comes to Keith...  _ “I’m sorry.”  _

 

She was shoved awake by Allura. “Come on, Pidge! Hunk and Romelle are making breakfast.” Pidge groaned and felt her forehead. Allura arched a perfect eyebrow. “Are you alright? You’re sweating.” Pidge sighed and sat up. She explained her dream to Allura, who listened very avidly and stayed quiet the whole time. 

 

When Pidge finished recounting her dream, Allura had a twinkle in her eye that Pidge had never seen before. “You should tell him,” she said matter-of-factly. Pidge narrowed her eyes. “How am I supposed to do that? I’m not good at feelings, Allura.” The princess smirked. “I know of a discreet yet obvious way.”


	3. Fuck it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Note to self: never leave Pidge by herself in a battle,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm done now enjoy

Let’s just say: Keith woke up with a start. He was in his bed, sweat dripping down his forehead and pretty much everywhere else. He registered his whole dream and what it could mean. “Note to self: never leave Pidge by herself in a battle,” he muttered, rubbing his temples. Keith sat and thought for another minute.  _ Should he…?  _ “Fuck it.”

 

Next thing he knew, Keith was marching down the hall to the kitchen, where he knew she’d be watching Hunk make breakfast. He met Lance in the corridor and grabbed his arm. “Keith, what--” Keith hugged him for a split second then continued down the hall, leaving a very confused Lance in his wake.

 

Just as he thought, Pidge, Hunk, and Romelle were in the kitchen. Pidge was watching Hunk cook, and Romelle was helping best she could. Allura walked in and sat down at the table, then stared at Keith, who continued to stand there, gathering courage. “Um, are you going to--” Keith silenced her with a finger to his lips, then inhaled.  _ Best to talk about it at the table. _

 

Pretty soon, Keith was there, not saying anything, just watching her eat her food like a creep. Lance was staring at Keith’s pancakes, even though he had already finished his own breakfast. Before Lance could say anything, Keith shoved the plate in his direction, and the Red Paladin immediately chowed down. Hunk was muttering under his breath about something Keith didn’t necessarily care about, but eventually, Shiro had enough of the Yellow Paladin’s complaining and looked to Keith. “Aren’t you going to eat the delicious breakfast Hunk made?”  _ Oh.  _ Keith wordlessly took his plate back from Lance, who whined. 

 

Keith’s attention flicked back to Pidge, who was finished with her coffee and pancakes. That meant she would disappear to her lab for another ten hours, at most. Keith was losing his chance. He made to say something, but Allura beat him to it. “Pidge.” The Green Paladin stood rigid. Sighing, she made her way around the table, hugging everyone. “Why--” Romelle started. “If she’s going to her lab, she might as well say goodbye first,” Allura explained, a smirk on her face. Pidge patted Lance’s shoulder instead of a hug, and because of it, he was insulted and whined. 

 

Pidge begrudgingly hugged him properly, apparently satisfying him. Then, without warning, and so fast Keith could’ve missed it, Pidge hugged Keith and ever so slightly, kissed his hair. Before he could even comprehend and enjoy it, it was over and she was racing out the door, the biggest smile on her face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> would you kidgers be interested in a kidge wedding ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


End file.
